The free event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (December 7 and 8) in the area bounded by Miles Avenue on the north, Requa Avenue on the south, Towne Street on the west and Smurr Street on the east.

The event, which has become a Dine 909 tradition in the last couple of years (usually in conjunction with Saturday’s Palm Springs Festival of Lights parade), runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The festival location is bounded by Miles Avenue on the north, Requa Avenue on the South, Towne Street on the west and Smurr Street on the east.

It’s definitely a trek for most of the Inland Empire, but it’s worth a visit at least once to see the variety of tamales sold at the festival, including seasonal flavors like pumpkin.

It’s not all about the tamales. There are other food vendors, too.

There’s also a parade (Saturday at 10 a.m.), lots of entertainment (including War, 4:30 p.m. on Sunday), tamale-eating contests (Saturday), carnival rides and more at the free event.

Over the last couple of years, it has become a tradition in the Dine 909 household to shlep out to Indio on Saturday, gorge ourselves on tamales and other goodies and then take in the Palm Springs Festival of Lights parade that evening.

The tamale fest runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday (December 3) and Sunday (December 4), with a parade kicking off the whole shebang at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The featival takes place in downtown Indio between Highway 111 and Indio Boulevard, along Miles Avenue, Towne Street, Smurr Street and Requa Avenue.

Admission and parking are free.

Of course, it’s not all about the tamales. For this year’s entertainment schedule (Rose Royce!), click here.

I can’t say the same this year, because I went to the festival last year.

I had a great time!

I tried to sample tamales of every flavor that I found, from turkey to strawberry to pumpkin.

One of the things that makes the festival more fun is that many of the tamale booths have some sort of gimmick — dressing in traditional garb, for example — to entice you to visit their booth and try their tamales.

It’s not all about the tamales, either. They have plenty of other food to enjoy, rides and entertainment on four stages. Also, many of the old town shops open their doors for browsing and shopping.

If you love tamales and have never been to the festival, I encourage you to take the drive out to Indio. I plan on going again this year.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (December 4) and Sunday (December 5). It takes place in downtown Indio, between Highway 111 and Indio Boulevard, along Miles Avenue, Towne Street, Smurr Street and Requa Avenue.

It kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday with a parade that begins at Miles Avenue Park.

Free parking (with a free shuttle to the festival) is available at the Larson Justice Center on the corner of Highway 111 and Oasis Street. Last year we just found street parking on Oasis Street near Miles Avenue, a short block from the festival.

Admission and parking are free. Tamales run from about $2.50 to $4, depending on the vendor and ingredients.